Glioblastoma Awareness Day

July 21st has been declared National Glioblastoma Awareness Day. This aggressive brain cancer diagnosis affects about 15,000 people each year.                                            Treatment research is ongoing all across the medical community – worldwide.  Many clinical trials have already been completed, hopefully leading to new treatment options.    Thank you for raising awareness of and supporting these incredibly important, potentially life-saving research projects.  For more information click here.

Eric and Johnanna have been dealing with Eric’s glioblastoma diagnosis since Easter Sunday – 4/4/2021. Together, Eric and J were air flighted on that day – hand in hand – from Helena, Montana to the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.                                                                                                                                                         J never left Eric’s side. Three days later they walked out of the hospital together – just 48 hours after Eric’s brain tumor surgery. Johnanna has been with Eric for every medical appointment, every treatment, every exploration, every adventure. There is a saying that behind every great man there is an even greater woman. Johnanna is most definitely Eric’s “greater woman”,  and our family loves her beyond words!!

When radiation and chemotherapy began, Eric and J made a pact that they would enjoy an adventure for every one of Eric’s 30 treatments.  To date they have signed on for: a 10K run/walk; off-road jeep adventures up mountain “roads”; spring snow “slopping”; water slide and waterfall splashing; salt flats driving explorations; desert hiking/camping with indigenous snakes, ancient pictographs, poky plants and night time star gazing; frolics, mountain hikes, and cold stream swims up in mountain canyons lead by the wonderful fury Shelby and Aspen dogs; and late-night feastings on the specials-of-the-day from “Brownies, Brownies, Brownies”, to name just a few.

And now, together, they are navigating the next phases of treatment; the new normal of Eric’s teaching and J’s clinic practice; and the plans for which adventures they will tackle next.

Our whole family is continuously amazed, comforted, uplifted, overwhelmed – by the love, support, and encouragement coming from extended family, friends, work colleagues, and total strangers as we all walk this medical challenge with Eric and Johnanna.

Thank you from the bottom of all our hearts – for loving and supporting Eric and J!!

Thank you for being there!

Thank you for being you!

Donna and Drew Sullivan (Eric’s parents) and the whole Sullivan Family